Pig Roast at the C 'n' C!

The winds are up again, so no diving on the agenda today...which is getting to be a boring refrain, let me tell you. Unfortunately, it looks like the weather this week is not going to cooperate, and if anything, the winds will increase as time goes on. I’m not liking that! If anything can be said about the past few months, it’s been too darn windy too much of the time!

Now that we have found some basic internet available to us via a pay-for-service set-up, we spent the morning downloading our e-mail and  regaining contact with the outside world. On land, some things are totally taken for granted when it’s easily available -- such as all our modern-day forms of communication. In the States, for the most part, mail service, phone service and internet access are readily available and reliable. Here on the water, the ability to keep in touch via the internet or phone is not always available, and certainly not something taken for granted!! Even mail -- while more accessible, it’s not always timely, especially when one is in far away ports. Still, those modern conveniences do keep us connected: when we have them, we appreciate them!!

Ron and I spoke Ally this morning as usual, then got on-line and slogged through a ream of e-mail messages, reading, sorting, forwarding and responding to the more time-sensitive items. That took time enough, so we certainly didn’t have extra time to spend on light-hearted web-surfing, FaceBook, or other idle chatter because...the beach was waiting!

Signpost on Volleybal Beach with distances to far away 

places from George Town, including Crisfield, MD and Milwaukee, WI!

You see, Sunday afternoons are beach days here on Stocking Island. Dinghies line up along the shore as folks come off their boats for a bit of fun in the sun. Volleyball Beach was living up to its name, with folks playing hard on the courts behind the Chat ‘N’ Chill, whose famous Sunday Pig Roast was in full swing. People sat in groups under the sea pines and palms, at tables along the beach, or in chairs at the water’s edge to keep cool in the shallow water lapping at the shore, all eating, drinking, talking together, telling stories, having fun. The Conch Shack on the shore was a busy hot spot, where fresh conch salad is made to order, with various levels of hot spice available. The spices here are not for the meek! 

Chilling in the water and just goofing around

Deck side of the Chat 'N' Chill

One of the benefits to cruising is that we often meet up with old friends  in unexpected places, or as we’ve been doing here: meeting new folks. They’re from the various and sundry boats anchored here in the harbor -- from all walks of life, from all parts of the globe -- as well as folks who live and work here on Great Exuma. While some of the cruisers here are first-time visitors like us, others have been coming here for years, so it’s a fun mix. The best part is that we all have a lot in common by the simple virtue of sharing a passion for the sea and the islands. Yep...living the dream!